Summary:
– Influenza activity across the northern temperate regions have continued to decline to near inter-seasonal levels in much of North America, Europe, and northern Asia, though low level persistent transmission was still noted in many countries.

– The persistence of transmission in the northern hemisphere temperate regions has been associated with increasing numbers of influenza type B virus appearing late in the season in a number of countries of North America and Europe. Prior to this, influenza A(H3N2) was the most commonly detected virus in North America, A(H1N1)pdm09 in Europe, and both in varying proportions in different countries of northern Asia.

– Low levels of influenza activity continued to be reported across the tropical regions of the world, and activity in countries of the southern hemisphere remained at inter-seasonal levels.

– Nearly all influenza A viruses characterized this season [2012-2013] have been antigenically related to those contained in the current trivalent vaccine. Among the B viruses characterized, those that were of the Yamagata lineage were antigenically related to the viruses recommended for the trivalent vaccine, but a sizable number of B viruses were also of the Victoria lineage. Only very low numbers of oseltamivir and zanamivir resistant viruses have been detected.

– In China, new cases of H7N9 have been reported with over 100 cases to date.

– A summary review of the Northern Hemisphere influenza season will be published in the World Epidemiological Report on 31 May 2013.

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